ARTISAN WINE & SPIRITS · MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA

BAROSSA VALLEY · AUSTRALIA · 2021 · FIVE CRITICS · FIVE 94–95 POINT SCORES

JOHN DUVAL WINES · ENTITY SHIRAZ 2021

The Man Who Crafted
Penfolds for 29 Years. The Grange for 16 Years.
Experience His Incredible Passion Project.

"One of the most respected winemakers in Barossa...John Duval wines are some of the most dependable in Barossa, with the leading bottlings also some of the region's finest." — Vinous Media

When five of the world's most demanding critics all converge between 94 and 95 points on a $44.99 bottle of Barossa Shiraz, something unusual is happening. That something is John Duval — the winemaker who spent 29 years at Penfolds, 16 of them as Chief Winemaker responsible for Grange, one of the world's most celebrated red wines. His own label, Entity, is what happens when a man of that pedigree makes exactly the wine he wants to make, without constraint, without compromise. The result tastes like a $130 wine. It costs $44.99.

Why This Wine Is Extraordinary

2021 John Duval "Entity"
Shiraz — Barossa Valley

South Australia  ·  100% Shiraz  ·  Barossa Valley

The Custodian of Grange — Now Making His Own Statement

When Penfolds Grange is mentioned, the conversation usually begins with Max Schubert, the winemaker who created it in the early 1950s. But the vintages that put Grange on the international map — the 1986 through 2002 that collectors still seek out and critics still celebrate — those were made by John Duval. He joined Penfolds in 1974 and was appointed Chief Winemaker in 1986, following in the footsteps of only two predecessors. For 16 years, the responsibility for what many consider Australia's greatest wine rested entirely in his hands.

Among his many honors: Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year in 1995 for the 1990 Penfolds Grange. The Robert Mondavi Trophy for Winemaker of the Year in 1989. Two-time Red Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge in London. A career that put Australian wine on the world stage.

In 2003, with his son Tim joining in 2016, Duval began making wine under his own name — working closely with handpicked Barossa growers to produce a small, focused range of wines that reflect everything he learned at Penfolds. Entity is his flagship Shiraz. It is not a second wine. It is the wine he chooses to make.

Elsewhere: $55.00

$44.99

Five Reasons This Belongs in Your Cellar

The Artisan Insider Verdict

"Entity was our number one seller at our Rhône 'Round the World tasting — and the reaction from every person who tasted it was identical: they couldn't believe the price. When a wine made by the custodian of Penfolds Grange scores 94–95 points across five critics and retails for $44.99, you do not hesitate. You buy a case."

— James Tran, Artisan Wine & Spirits

Last Cases of the vintage

2021 John Duval "Entity"
Barossa Valley Shiraz

South Australia  ·  Halliday 95 · Vinous 94 · JS 94 · WS 94 · DM 94

Elsewhere: $55.00

$44.99

The World It Competes In

Entity sits comfortably alongside Barossa's most prestigious names — at a fraction of the price.

All are exceptional wines. Entity is simply the most compelling value in the group — by a wide margin.

The Winemaker

John Duval: A Career That Put Australian Wine on the Map

John Duval joined Penfolds in 1974 after completing his studies in agriculture and winemaking. Twelve years later, in 1986, he was appointed Chief Winemaker — following the legendary Max Schubert and Don Ditter, and becoming only the third person in the winery's history to hold the position. For the next 16 years, every bottle of Penfolds Grange that left the winery was his responsibility.

The Duval family had for many years run a world-famous Suffolk sheep stud and quality vineyards at Morphett Vale south of Adelaide — coincidentally supplying Shiraz grapes and vine cuttings to Penfolds. The connection to the land, the variety, and the winery runs deep.

His honors, though numerous, include some of the highest distinctions the wine world offers:

In 2003, with his son Tim joining as partner in 2016, Duval launched his own label — working with handpicked Barossa and Eden Valley growers to produce a range of wines that Vinous calls "some of the most dependable in Barossa, with the leading bottlings also some of the region's finest."

At the Table

What to Serve With It

The Critics — Five Voices, One Verdict

Frequently Asked Questions

"How does Entity compare to Penfolds Grange?"

They are not the same wine — Grange is a masterpiece of blending across multiple regions, with extraordinary aging potential and decades of institutional pedigree. Entity is a different expression: pure Barossa Shiraz made by the man who understood Grange better than anyone alive during those 16 years. Entity has the elegance and restraint of a winemaker who knows what Barossa Shiraz can be at its best, made without the institutional weight of a $200+ price tag.

"Should I open it now or cellar it?"

This has plush tannins with some chewiness that will integrate beautifully with time. If you open it now, decant for 60 minutes and it will show very well. If you can wait until 2027–2028, you will be rewarded with a rounder, more harmonious wine.

94–95 Points × 5 Critics · 36 bottles left

Five critics. Five scores. $44.99.
The Barossa value you have been waiting for.

The Bottom Line

29 years at Penfolds.
16 as Chief Winemaker of Grange.
Five critics. Five 94–95 point scores.
$44.99 — the lowest price in the country.

When a winemaker of this pedigree produces a wine that five of the world's most demanding critics all score between 94 and 95 points — and it costs $44.99 — you are looking at one of the great values in Australian wine. Every customer who has tasted it has said the same thing. Now you can taste it too.

Cheers,

James Tran
Artisan Wine & Spirits · Mountain View, CA

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